Iowa Flooding Causes Evacuations, Closure Of Miles Of Interstate

June 12, 2008 5:39 p.m. EST

Cedar Rapids, IA (AHN) - Conditions in weather-beaten Iowa took a turn for the worse Thursday as state crews prepared to shut down almost 30 miles of Interstate 80 through flooded Johnson and Cedar counties.

In the meantime, officials evacuated 4,000 homes in Cedar Rapids where parts of downtown were under 5 to 6 feet of water and the railroad bridge over the Cedar River collapsed into the rain-swollen river.

Officials had parked gravel-loaded railroad cars on the bridge in an attempt to weight it down to prevent flood waters from lifting it off its supports and sweeping it downstream. But the bridge and 20 rail cars are in the water now and officials worry that the debris might dam the river, causing more problems.

Officials had earlier closed all interstate highway exits to downtown where at least 100 blocks were estimated to be under water. With rain continuing to fall, more than 400 inmates of the county jail in Cedar Rapids were evacuated to safety at state prisons.

Des Moines residents were evacuated from 200 homes because of fears the Des Moines River would top the levee.

In Iowa City, with the Iowa River 5 feet above flood stage, city officials held a special meeting Wednesday to approve mandatory evacuations for part of the town beginning early Thursday morning.

Problems aren't confined to Iowa cities. Iowa farmers are faced with muddy fields that will mean no crop of field corn, soybeans or wheat on many farms this year unless rains stop and warm winds blow the fields dry enough to get tractors in to plow and plant seeds. That could lead to even higher food prices in the fall.